


When it Rains

by rebecca_selene



Category: Resident Evil (Movieverse)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 04:46:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5116160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebecca_selene/pseuds/rebecca_selene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once Jill and Carlos rescue Alice after Raccoon City is destroyed, Alice has trouble reconciling her new situation with her memories. Jill provides a safe haven when a reckless idea doesn’t lead Alice to a happy ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When it Rains

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BatchSan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatchSan/gifts).



> written for fandomgrowthexchange 2015 AND my hc_bingo card prompt “mutation”

“What did they do to you?”

Alice turned away, not knowing how to answer. Her vision confused her, the colors all wrong. She was just grateful to see the faces of her friends.

Jill wanted to know what happened to her. She wished she only knew.

“Where are we?” she asked as the car drove on.

“Safe,” Carlos said. “We have a bunker that’s managed to stay off Umbrella’s radar for now.”

“We’ve also gathered a decent amount of food and supplies,” Jill added. “And allies. People who hate Umbrella as much as we do.”

Alice nodded, though she knew _safe_ was only a relative term. The adrenaline was wearing off, and she was starting to realize with startling clarity that she had, in fact, died. There was no way that she had survived the helicopter crash. And yet here she was, being rescued by her friends and feeling more strangely than she ever had in her life. Not even after the first experiments after the Hive had she felt like this.

“I’m glad you’re back, Alice,” Angie said.

Alice nodded off at some point during the turmoil of her thoughts and awoke only when the car came to a stop. “Home sweet home,” Carlos said, turning back to her with a grin. She couldn’t help but smile back.

She got out of the car and looked around her. They had driven into a part of the mountain system; a distant overhang shielded the vehicles on the ground from aerial view. Jill led the group to the thick metal door built into the rock and led them down into a dim main room that branched off into three other corridors.

“Supplies are located down there,” Jill said, pointing to the leftmost corridor. “A couple of rooms for sleeping in the middle, and restrooms in the last one.” She shrugged. “Don’t expect much in the way of comfort down here.”

“That’s fine,” Alice murmured.

“Come on. I’ll show you where you can sleep.”

Angie gave Alice a quick hug before letting her follow Jill down the central corridor. They went through one of the two doorways into a room just slightly bigger than the main one. Small cots with thin blankets and pillows lay in no particular arrangement Alice could discern.

Jill pointed to a cot near the far wall. “That one’s not taken.”

Alice walked over to it and sat down. The cot creaked, but the blanket was soft. She fingered it absently.

“Are you all right?” Jill asked hesitantly.

Alice looked up to find a wary expression mixed with concern on Jill’s face. She tried to smile but didn’t think she succeeded. “Not really, honestly.”

Jill sat on the cot across from Alice’s. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I don’t remember much. A lot of pain, I guess. And then waking up in a water tank and getting my memories back.” Alice squinted at the ground and shook her head, trying to make sense of it all. “I don’t _feel_ right.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know what they did to me, but I don’t feel human. All my senses are…just wrong.” Alice shrugged.

“More so than whatever they did to you to make you be able to fight that monster?”

Alice met Jill’s gaze. “Let me tell you about Matt.” And she explained everything that had happened in the Hive, everyone who had died—her heart lurched at the thought of Rain; strong, beautiful Rain, lying on the train with a bullet in her forehead—and how she couldn’t save Matt even after they had escaped.

Jill opened her mouth, then closed it again. After a moment, she said, “I never got to thank you properly. You know, for saving all our asses. Multiple times.”

“I guess you returned the favor.” Alice smiled.

“I’m glad.” Jill grimaced. “We thought you were dead. The helicopter crash…it was awful. Angie was distraught.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to put you through that. At least being less than human makes me harder to kill completely.”

Jill suddenly grasped Alice’s hands, startling her with the physical contact. “Stop that,” Jill said harshly. “You look perfectly human to me. You get started down that path of self-pity and you’ll never leave.”

Alice scoffed. “Are those supposed to be words of comfort?”

“Comfort isn’t my style.”

“Is that why you’re holding my hands?” Alice asked.

Jill jerked and looked like she wanted to release Alice’s grip, but she didn’t. “I have exceptions,” she admitted. “Angie wasn’t the only one who was upset.” She drew in a deep breath, then let it out in a whoosh. “You were starting to grow on me.”

Alice’s heart thumped. She thought she was just imagining the sudden tension in the air, but then Jill’s gaze met hers and she squeezed Alice’s hands. Alice wondered how, among all the chaos of corruption and death, something like _this_ could bloom.

“I don’t know what they did to you, but since you’re here, I can’t really complain,” Jill said. “We’ll figure out what happened to you.”

Alice smiled. “I know.”

A thought struck her then, though, some clarity of realization. Dr. Isaacs had _brought her back to life_. But how? She frowned.

“What is it?” Jill asked, pulling back.

“I _died_. But he reversed that.” Alice caught Jill’s eye. “The technology to _bring people back to life_ exists.” How he had cheated death?

“Well Umbrella have killed enough people, I suppose they’d be researching how to unkill them too.”

Alice’s thoughts sped up like a roller coaster the more she contemplated the possibilities…things she never would have thought about before she had experienced firsthand being resurrected like some horror story creature.

She left Jill’s side and sprinted the short way to the main room. Carlos was sitting at a table and fiddling with a small radio. “We need to go back to the house,” she announced with determination. “We need to go back to the Hive entrance.”

“Are you crazy?” Jill asked, coming up behind her. “It's been destroyed. The whole of Raccoon City has been destroyed by the bomb.”

“It destroyed me too, but I'm still here. We need to go back.”

“For what?” Jill asked.

“For Rain,” Alice replied. Jill only stared at her.

“Who?” Carlos asked.

Alice told him a brief version of what happened in the Hive while Jill looked on, frustration emanating from her body. “Her body is right there on the train,” Alice finished.

“But how will we get to the Hive?” Carlos finally asked. “Assuming it’s far enough underground to survive the bomb blast, you said it was sealed shut. Not to mention all of the infected that are trapped in there.”

“Are you seriously considering this?” Jill asked. “Carlos, be reasonable. We didn't survive the bombing of the city and impersonating high clearance officials to get her out only to walk back into hell. We need to stay here in the bunker, lie low, and figure out what's going on before we rush into danger.”

Carlos flashed a charming smile. “Now where’s the fun in that?”

Before Jill could retort, Alice said, “I need to save her. I need to save her just the way you saved me.” Alice cupped Jill’s cheek in her hand.

“We didn't save you,” Jill said. “We knew you were dead and we left your body there.”

“You saved me when you knew I could be saved. If I had been left there they would have done so many experiments on my body that I wouldn't have my memories or my feelings. I wouldn't be me anymore…well, less than I already am.” Alice laughed weakly.

Carlos coughed. “Let me see what I can find out,” he said before leaving down the supply corridor.

Jill let out one of her sarcastic snorts. “And assuming that we do get to the Hive, get in the blast doors, and survive the infected apocalypse, what do you propose to do then? Just drag out her dead, rotting body and bring it to the doctor and hope that he decides to comply with your demands?”

“He made me who I am,” Alice said roughly. “What I am. Now he has to deal with the consequences of that.”

“Clearly you care about her,” Jill said tightly. “And if you get her back, what then?”

Alice blinked. She hadn't thought that far ahead. She was too consumed by the grief remaining from her time in the Hive and her confusion from Dr. Isaacs’ experiments to think of what she would do once neither were necessary.

She was surprised to see fear in Jill's eyes and understood at once what a dolt she was being.

“Jill,” she whispered, bringing up her other hand to cup Jill's other cheek. Whatever they had started here was tenuous at best, and of all the uncertainties she had faced so far, this she was sure she didn’t want to break.

“I can't lose you again,” Jill said.

“You won't,” Alice promised. “You won't.” She leaned in and kissed Jill softly, hesitantly, and Jill relaxed into Alice's embrace.

*****

It turned out they wouldn’t need to go to the Hive after all. Carlos mined the contacts who had helped them with the false credentials and found out that one of the search teams sent in to re-open the Hive somehow survived long enough to bring back things from underground…including Rain’s body.

Alice paced, the walls of the bunker seemingly growing smaller as each minute passed. “She was in the same facility I was the whole time. Probably in the lab right next to me, and I didn’t even know.”

Jill stood against the wall with her arms crossed. “You mean your superpowers didn’t tingle?”

Alice glared at her. “This isn’t funny.”

“No one’s laughing,” Carlos cut in. Even his usually light demeanor seemed strained. “Jill was right before. We went through a lot of trouble to get in the first time.”

“You won’t have to this time,” Alice said. “Just drive to the outskirts of the compound and stay hidden. I’ll be able to get in. I’m his experiment, remember? He won’t hurt me.”

“Maybe, but will you be able to get out?” Carlos asked.

Alice laughed humorlessly. “He created me with the tools to get back out. His own mistake.”

Jill frowned. “He works for Umbrella and does awful experiments. Don’t underestimate him.”

“I won’t.” Alice looked toward Carlos. “When will your contacts be here to get Angie and bring her to safety?”

“Nightfall. We can head out then too. Get some rest in the meantime; you’ll need it.”

*****

Carlos’ contacts arrived as expected. Alice hugged Angie goodbye. “You be safe, you hear?” Alice said.

Angie nodded seriously. “You too.” And then she was gone.

They waited until the sound of the car faded into the distance, and then Alice headed for the main door. “Let’s go.”

Jill and Carlos sighed at the same time before following her.

They drove in silence. When they finally arrived, Carlos stopped a long way off from the sensors and lights.

Jill handed Alice a small object. “Put this in your ear. We can’t come with you, but that doesn’t prevent us from being with you.”

Alice put the piece into her ear and smiled. “Thank you.”

“We’ll be waiting,” Carlos said.

Alice opened the door and was halfway out when Jill stopped her. “Be careful,” she said seriously, her expression the most open Alice had ever seen it

Alice leaned her forehead against Jill’s. “I will.” And then she left.

*****

Even knowing she could get in, her path into the complex and to the labs was far easier than she expected. She took out any guards with ease, and if she hadn’t had a goal, the dissonance of being able to fight through tight security with inhuman ease might have overwhelmed her.

She shook her thoughts away and focused. Crouched, she peeked into lab window after lab window until, finally, she found what she was looking for.

Rain. Only she looked nothing like Alice remembered. Her body was grotesque, bloated; blackened veins stood out starkly against the too-white skin, the red bullet hole in her forehead jagged and deep. Alice stood over the glass case preserving what was left of her friend for a long time.

“Alice?” Jill’s voice came softly into her ear. “What’s going on?”

Alice let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. _Focus_. “I found her. I just need to find the doctor now.”

“Oh, don’t look too hard.” Alice whipped around to see Dr. Isaacs in the doorway. He strode into the room confidently and spread his arms wide. “I’m right here.”

Alice heard Jill hiss. Her mind screamed _DANGER!_ and she found herself taking note of all exits and potential weapons in the room, like a computer. She didn’t have time to process the speed of her information gathering.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” Dr. Isaacs drawled.

“Somehow you saved my life, even though I was dead.” Alice pointed to Rain’s body. “I want you to do the same for her.”

Dr. Isaac’s brows rose. “I can’t bring her back,” he said calmly, as if Alice had requested nothing more extraordinary than a simple glass of milk.

Alice’s heart plummeted. “What are you talking about? Of course you can. You did it with me. Do it for her!” Her voice grew louder as she spoke.

“ _You_ bonded with the T-virus. No one else has done that. I manipulated the virus to reanimate your living tissue, cells that hadn’t died yet. We got you back soon enough after you died for that to be possible.”

“You’re lying,” Alice bit out. Her hands shook.

“I’m not.” Dr. Isaac’s moved toward Rain’s body. “She was infected while alive. She didn’t bond with the virus, or she would have reanimated with her memories. You must have seen for yourself that she didn’t.” He shook his head. “Even if she had bonded, she’s been dead too long. There’s nothing left to salvage.” He looked at Alice then. “I’m sorry,” he said, almost sincerely.

Tears filled Alice’s eyes. “No,” she whispered, but she knew it was true. The doctor would have done anything he could to keep her there to experiment on.

“I can’t help you,” he continued, taking a step toward her and raising a placating hand, “but you can help me. With your blood, I can produce a serum that would prevent what happened to her from happening to anyone else. Together, we can save so many lives.” He took another step.

“Alice.” Jill’s voice cut into her ear, startling her. “I’m so sorry. But he’s manipulating you, and he’s damn good at it. You have to get out of there.”

“Stay, Alice. Please.” The doctor’s expression would have convinced her if she hadn’t known him, hadn’t seen the truth behind his lofty words before.

She took one last look at Rain, sending her a mental _I’m sorry_ , before blocking out her grief. She faced the doctor, resolve steadying her. “No,” she said simply. “I’m walking out of here, and you know you can’t stop me.”

“Alice, please-“

“No,” she said, more loudly. She backed through the door, expecting a fight.

But the doctor only laughed. “You’ll keep coming back to me,” he said smugly. “You did now, and you will again. It’s in your nature.”

“Yeah, right.” And she ran, through the front door, past the guards she had knocked out earlier, out into the wilderness into the black jeep waiting for her. Carlos took off, and she leaped, once more, into Jill’s ready embrace.

*****

Alice walked back into the bunker numbly. The memory of Rain’s face filled her vision.

She had failed.

She sat on her cot, barely aware of what was going on around her. Jill knelt in front of her and placed her hands on Alice’s knees. “Alice,” Jill said softly. After a few moments with no response, Jill tried again, nudging Alice’s thigh lightly.

Alice looked up and met Jill’s eyes. They were soft, sympathetic. “You never got to say goodbye the first time, did you?”

Alice’s vision blurred. She looked back down and shook her head. Jill leaned up and hugged Alice close, bringing Alice’s head to rest against her chest, hands running through Alice’s hair. “I think it’s time you did,” she said gently.

The grief rose up in Alice’s chest in a wave, the memories hitting her all at once and overwhelming her. Her amnesia, Rain, Kaplan, Matt, the vague impressions she recalled from the torturous experiments, the fear of being less than human, not knowing the full extent of what they did to her, the virus, the bombing and murder of an entire city, her city…

She let out a scream as if it could relieve the pressure, and when it didn’t, she turned into Jill’s shirt and cried. She was beyond knowing the passage of time, but for however long it took before the tears stopped and she could breathe easily again, Jill kept hold of her through it all.

*****

Later, when she had finished blowing her nose and her eyes had lost some of their redness, she returned to her cot and lay down next to Jill, who was waiting for her. “We have to do something about him,” she said, her voice strong again. “We have to take down Umbrella before they do even more damage.”

Jill nodded, fire in her eyes. “For everyone we’ve lost. For Rain.”

“For Peyton.”

“Yes. And we’ll do it together.” Jill clasped Alice’s hand in her own.

Alice smiled. “Think Carlos and the rest will be in?”

“Absolutely.”

They lay in silence for a moment as they contemplated the weight of their future unplanned path, undoubtedly wrought with dangers.

“Sorry about breaking down,” Alice finally said with a half-laugh. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Don’t be.” Jill pulled Alice closer to her. “You needed to let it out at some point. After all, you’re only human.”


End file.
